Two more women murdered last weekend in Turkey

Two women were killed in instances of domestic violence last weekend in Turkey, where violence against women continues to afflict the country.

One woman was killed by her family on Saturday in the eastern province of Elazığ because she gave birth outside of wedlock, the Taraf daily reported on Monday. The family gave her baby to the police, saying they had found it in a field.

An individual who knew the family spoke with Taraf correspondents about the tragic murder, stating, “I cannot bear the shame.”

Ayşe Konar (30) hid her pregnancy from her family, claiming she had a tumor in her stomach. After she gave birth to the child outside of wedlock, the elders in Konar's family threatened and beat her. One family member tried to strangle her so that she would reveal who the father of the child was, but Konar refused to answer.

The family took Konar to the hospital, where she subsequently died from serious injuries. Her brother told police that he had killed her, and her aunt gave them the baby, claiming to have found it alone in a field.

In the northwestern province of Yalova, a man allegedly stabbed his ex-wife to death during an argument.

Mustafa Görmez (54) and Meve Yayla (33) divorced two months ago following three years of marriage. Görmez went to Yayla's home in Yalova's Çınarcık district to supposedly make peace, but an argument soon broke out. The quarrel escalated when Görmez reportedly took a knife from the kitchen and stabbed his ex-wife eight times in the eye and back.

Yayla died at the scene of the incident. Görmez was taken into custody and referred to court for the alleged murder of his ex-wife. According to police reports, Görmez had been detained for many knife and gun-related crimes in the past.

A report on violence against women by the İstanbul branch of the Human Rights Association (İHD) found that a total of 4,190 women have been killed by men across Turkey in the last seven years. The study also confirmed that honor killings and family councils still operate in eastern Turkey. Family councils describe a sort of traditional justice system in the more rural and eastern parts of Turkey in which family elders meet to discuss and make decisions on personal and community matters.